Most people like to simply relax on holiday. The thought of that terrifies me. I’ve never been one to sit still, so on the third day of my vacation in Ibiza, it’s time to exercise. Luckily I am staying in the coastal town of Santa Eulalia, which is Runners’ Paradise. Also luckily, I have a brand new pair of Jabra Elite Sport wireless earbuds, itching to be put through their paces.
It’s July in Ibiza, and as you’d expect, it’s set to be a scorcher of a day. It’s already hotter than it has been all summer in the UK and I head out early to prevent that unfamiliar yellow circle in the sky sizzling my classically British skin. This is the first time that I have owned a pair of headphones that come with a three-year warranty against failure from sweat. A warranty I intend to test to the max.
I’ve never tried earbuds before, and have to admit I am a little skeptical as I place them in my auditory canals during my pre-run stretches. Won’t they fall out without a cord? Won’t I lose them? Not a chance, it turns out. They have been ergonomically designed to fit snuggly and comfortably. With my limbs stretched and my iPhone synched, I start my morning jog. I’m still initially wary of my Elites slipping out, but quickly my mind is set at ease and I actually forget that they are in there. The comfort these earbuds provide is sublime, and although they can’t improve my Personal Best, they sure do make a run along the promenade even more enjoyable than it already is. I can see these wireless wonders coming in handy on a rainy winter’s run back home in Scotland. However, I am in the sunny Mediterranean, and after a couple of roasting hot KMs… I am exhausted. The heat here in July is something else. Fortunately I have been jogging along the coastal path and the turquoise waters of the Balearic Sea are just too inviting not to take a refreshing dip. The Elites are waterproof to 1 metre, so I wade in without a concern. Ibiza is a stunning place, but it does attract… a certain type of clientele. Fortunately my Jabras drown out the rowdy doggy paddling stag-do who appear to have started their antics particularly early. Or maybe they are still going from the night before, who knows – this is Ibiza after all.
Exercise is fabulous, but it’s impossible to ignore the effervescent nightlife in Ibiza. The Jabra Elites don’t claim to match the heavy bass of Fatboy Slim at Amnesia, but they actually come pretty close. After a long night in one of Ibiza’s largest nightclubs, the last thing I want to do the next day is work-out. It turns out my Elites are just as effective when dozing in and out of consciousness by the hotel pool. The nifty thing about these earbuds, is that you can tap them once to hear the music in harmony with the outside world, or double-tap them to activate the noise cancelling technology. I swiftly opt for the later. Luckily these beautiful buds come with a nine-hour charge; more than enough to see me through a day of chilled out House classics.
The next day it’s time to hit the gym. After my previous pitiful attempt at a run in the sun, I am relieved when I walk into the air-conditioned hotel gym that evening. I have downloaded Jabra Sport Life on my phone, a nifty wee app that takes your heart rate data and provides real-time feedback to suggest how you structure your training. I had forgotten to set it up for my jog, so now I listen with glee as a soothing voice calmly tells me how many reps I have to go… and even shows me a short video on my phone how to execute each exercise accurately.
Ibiza is a transcendent, exhausting location. Some people seems to have endless energy, and on my voyage back home I am simply overjoyed when I can’t help but notice that not one but two stag-dos are on my flight back to Edinburgh. And they are both still in party mode. It’s time to get my Jabra Elites to do what they do best: play my treasured tunes whilst blocking out the unwanted noise that surrounds me. I actually don’t know if I could stay sane on this flight without them.
You can find out more about the Jabra Elite Sport wireless earbuds on their official website: http://www.jabra.co.uk/sports-headphones/jabra-elite-sport
Author Bio:
John Harfield is a travel writer and photographer based in Edinburgh
Photos courtesy of Jabra
Be the first to comment